Decided I needed a new handbag as the travel bag I got is just too big to lug around. I did know that but decided it would be good to have a memento. We found a little leather crafting shop where women were training to work with leather so it felt much nicer to be supporting the local economy.

Yesterday we visited Castle De Haar in Ultrecht-Netherlands. Just an hours drive from Amsterdam. It’s the largest castle in the Netherlands and boy is it cool. Close your eyes and imagine what a castle should look like and you’ve got it! It was still being used by the Barons family as a summer holiday home up to 2011. When I get clever and figure out how to get photos off the camera and into here ill pop one in or google it. Amazing!

Today we. Visited two museums. One is Willet-Holthuysen museum which was a couples house on the canal. They were super rich and had no children so it was gifted to the city in late 1880s and remains largely in tact with all their furniture and artworks.

We also visited the Amsterdam Museum which was a nunnery until the church gave the building to be used as the towns orphanage in late 15th century. It ran as an orphanage until about 1960. Just walking through these cobbled courtyards where centuries of foot traffic have smoothed each brick is incredible.

The artwork wasn’t too shabby either, but my pick of the day was a chest that the nuns had left. It was noticed that a number of times when sick children had been sat on this chest, they had recovered. The officials were told of the miracles and being Protestant City leaders, they quickly had the chest put in the attic. Last thing they needed was a Catholic chest producing miracles!